Dark-Shadows-10-coverWritten by Mike Raight

Illustrated by Nacho Tenorio

Published by Dynamite Entertainment

In which the inadvertent vampire spawn Lockwood has been defeated (but not destroyed), and Barnabas adjusts to life as a normal human being once more, thanks to the magic amulet that Willie recently procured for him in Ireland. But another loose end of the Lockwood saga remains – David’s erstwhile girlfriend Emma, now a vampire in her own right…

Very much a transitional issue, this instalment sees several plot strands being followed upon to set up the next part of the ongoing story arc. Although elated to feel the sunlight upon his skin once again, Barnabas noticed certain drawbacks to being human – leading to some nice character moments between him and Julia – but Willie Loomis is having a much worse time than his master. Since ripping the amulet from its previous vampiric owner’s neck, ol’ Willie’s been plagued by nightmares of the woman, and her promises of what she’ll do once she finds him. As if that wasn’t bad enough, what he then witnesses in the sub-basement of the Blue Whale tavern doesn’t help his state of mind in the slightest…

On the illustration front, Nacho Tenorio has taken over this duty once again, to the comic’s detriment. Characters (especially Julia) only vaguely look like the way they should, and everything has a curiously one-dimensional look to it. While the overall effect isn’t quite as jarring as it was with issue #8’s artwork, it’s still enough of a jolt that it keeps knocking this reader right out of being immersed the story.

At least the cliffhanger – of David inviting Emma inside Collinwood, and her crossing the threshold – contains some potential…

VERDICT: A promising continuation of various plot-strands, despite the quality of illustration and artwork. 6/10

John S. Hall

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